JUST five players from Wodonga Raiders’ embarrassing final-round loss last season have survived the Birallee Park cull.
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In a remarkable change of personnel, only skipper Jack Di Mizio, Brock Knights, Brad St John, Ben Murphy and Kyle Maynard are chances of backing up from the 163-point drubbing by Yarrawonga.
They are the only ones named last night in a 24-man squad to take on Wangaratta at Norm Minns Oval tomorrow night.
The Magpies will also sport a new look, with only 11 of the 21 beaten by 188 points by Albury on the same day named.
Raiders coach Daryn Cresswell said the excitement had been building ahead of the season opener.
“There are many new faces in the team and the boys just want it to start,” he said.
“I don’t think we will play our best footy first up but, the longer we play, the better we should get.
“They won’t know a lot about us and I don’t know a lot about them besides a few like (Matt) Westhoff, (Jamie) Allan and (Daniel) Boyle.
“It evens out, I guess.”
Wodonga Raiders named recruits Todd Grayson, Ross Tungatalum, Hayden and Dean Heta, Matt Murray, Matt McDonald, Jake Goldsmith, Jackson Clark, Matt Derrick, Sam Murray, Jethro Calma-Holt, Shane Munro, Nick Nott, Ethan Boxall and Matt Neagle.
Jydon Neagle and Stu Williams are returning from serious injuries while Steve Jolliffe is back after a cancer scare.
Key forward Josh Warren-Marmo was not selected.
Meanwhile, Wangaratta has been dealt a late blow with young backman Michael Bordignon applying for a clearance to Doutta Stars.
Bordignon joins Matt Grossman, Beau Wheeler, Danyon Hearne and Luke Mullins to have left the club, while five others missed selection.
The Magpies could unleash as many as seven debutants, with Westhoff, Boyle, former Richmond rookie-lister Robert Hicks, Tim Aumann, Cheyne Gilmore, Liam Harrington and thirds premiership player William Reilly named.
Coach Mark Knobel was happy with the club’s preparation.
“We are certainly more advanced than previous years,” he said.
“Last year and the year before we only played two practice games while this season a lot of the boys have played three games and others two.
“We had a challenging pre-season and our last practice match as really good.
“We think we are in a far better position than previously.”